Israeli billionaire denies DR Congo laundering claims
Israeli billionaire mining investor Dan Gertler has denied
that he had tried to evade US sanctions in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
An investigation by the Platform to Protect Whistleblowers
in Africa (PPLAAF) and campaign group Global Witness said he had used a global
money laundering network to get around US sanctions and extract mineral wealth
from DR Congo.
The report by the two rights organisations published on
Thursday cited evidence indicating that Mr Gertler had moved millions of
dollars through Afriland First Bank’s branch in DR Congo in order to dodge the
sanctions.
"Gertler appears to have used a money laundering
network stretching from Democratic Republic of Congo to Europe and Israel to
evade US sanctions against him, funnel millions of dollars abroad, and acquire
new mining assets in DR Congo," the report said.
Its said its findings were "based on documents provided
by whistleblowers despite great risks to their personal safety".
The report pointed to leaked bank documents allegedly
showing millions of dollars moving in and out of Afriland accounts opened by
people with ties to Mr Gertler, Reuters news agency reported.
Mr Gertler denied the allegations: “I have no relationship
whatsoever with numerous individuals supposedly identified in this story and
the cash deposits referred to are fictitious or have nothing to do with me, or
anyone on my behalf.
" In 2017 the United States froze all the assets and
accounts of Mr Gertler, a close ally of former DR Congo President Joseph Kabila
- accusing the billionaire of profiting from massive resource corruption in
Africa.
According to the US Treasury Department, DR Congo lost more
than $1.
36bn (£1bn) between 2010 and 2012 in state revenues from
under-priced mining assets sold to offshore companies tied to the billionaire.
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